Lynrace Spirit & Cocktail Bar Oxford

We had great time on NYE, great drinks by Joe, a fantastic bartender. Wonderful atmosphere for a date. We’ll come back every chance we get!

Absolutely delicious cocktails! Every mouthful was as good as the last. The bar is cosy and quirky and I loved the vibe and the music. Staff are friendly and attentive.

On a trip full of menus of otherwise reputable places where the cocktail lists mostly comprise of margaritas, espresso martinis, and something with elderflower syrup, it was very exciting to find a place to feature such classics as The Last Word, a Sazerac, and a Vieux Carre. The ambience is dark and cozy with out being overly posh; low lights, dark walls, tastefully appointed. Their signature drinks we tried were creative riffs that were well balanced and not overly ‘tea time’ sweet like so many of the cocktails I’ve had on this recent trip. It was hard to pick one of the classic cocktails as the list features some of the best standards. A menu which by the way had two tiki offerings - pain killer & mai tai - something I have not seen a lot of on this or other recent trips, I didn’t try them but nice to see. I did enjoy the previous mentioned Vieux Carre which was served up vs over rocks - not sure I’ve had it that way but was still a great drink to end on. Definitely a “if I lived here I’d be a regular” spot.

This place is great! We came in to try on a Friday night (which is one of their busiest days!) and we were welcomed warmly by the staff and offered crackers and water while we chose our drinks. The staff were very talkative and friendly and were very accommodating to us. While it was quiet, we kept up conversation with the bar tender as he made our drinks for us and it kind of felt like talking to an old friend(?). The drinks themselves were amazing and really easy to drink, which I sometimes struggle with when it comes to alcohol. I couldn’t taste the sharp/bitter aftertaste of the alcohol in these cocktails. There also aren’t any ‘cheap’ spirit brands. They’re all artisan spirits from around the world. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Overall, this bar is the place to go if you want a friendly place with amazing drinks with friends. You will not be disappointed. (In the photo, there are two Gaudi cocktails and an apricot juice)

We came to this bar with high expectations due to pre-existing reviews and its speakeasy vibes. However, I am appalled by its poor crowd control and poor acoustics. It is as noisy and crowded as a pub! We have raised this to the bartenders who have soon relocated us to a quieter table. Despite the flaws, this is still a 5 star review because of the stellar bartending, and professional customer service.